I (this is Taz) am incredibly honored and humbled to be receiving a Champion of Change award on the theme of Art and Storytelling from the White House Asian American and Pacific Islander Initiative. I'll be accepting the award with 9 of my peers - all who are doing amazing artivism for the community. Particularly thrilled to share the stage w/ longtime collaborator Jenny Yang, and my favorite phone banker Jason Fong. My dad and my siblings will be joining me for this week and, inshallah, I'll get to read a couple of my poems at the ceremony too! It will be the first time my dad has ever heard me recite poetry.

As someone who is really trying to figure out what the intersection is between political paradigm shifting and moving people with their hearts and minds - it feels really surprising to be seen, especially by the White House. I feel passionately about using art as a tool for change, for re-centering, for being heard, for creating safe space, for decolonizing how others see people like me.